


Footprints Left on the Heart

by orphan_account



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-02-11
Packaged: 2017-11-25 04:11:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/634975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU; After a tragic turn in the life of Katniss Everdeen, she leaves the only home she has ever known. After four years pass, Katniss bumps into her former boyfriend, rising star Peeta Mellark, in her new home of Panem City. Will their pent up emotions from years before bring them together or will they finally let one another go?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Last Straw

**Author's Note:**

> Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss's world in a tail-spin.

You know that gut feeling in your chest when you don't want to cry?

The hurling sensation in the back of your throat and the tightening in your chest. The way your whole body just wants to whisk away because if you stand one more moment you're going to shred into a millions pieces. The whole world around you is going so fast and you're being left behind and it hurts, and it startles you, and you just want everything to go away. You want everything to stop for a moment and regain who you are. Remember what you're supposed to be because this isn't it. This isn't what life was supposed to give you but this is what you were handed. The surreal feeling of everything coming to an end just because you were 'lucky', because you were fortunate, because the odds were in your favor.

Then everything hits you like a ton of bricks and your body begins to tremble. That if you don't get the hell out now you feel as if you're going to lose it at any moment?

_That's me._

It took one last straw for me to figure out that I can't be here anymore.

And that last straw was seeing my baby sister placed six feet under.

The last straw was seeing the words 'In memory of Primrose Everdeen'. The last straw was hearing the sobs for her, the way her boyfriend crouched in front of her tombstone and wept his heart out, whispering "It shouldn't have been you. You didn't deserve this Primrose. You deserved to be here right now smiling at the world with your golden smile. You gave the world everything and you were…. You were so perfect, Primrose. I love you so much. You didn't need this….."

I didn't stay to hear the rest of Rory Hawthorne's words. I made a beeline to my car and dashed.

I ran up to my room and packed everything I could see. The house was going up for sale in a week anyways. Anything in here was going to get sold because there was no way I would keep any of this, any of these memories, any memories of when I had a family.

As I shove my bags of clothes, shoes, blankets, and necessary needs into the boot of my car.

I breathe.

I sink into the driver's seat and I breathe.

Gale and Johanna will be okay.

They're a happily engaged couple that won't need me. Both of my best friends are going to set the world with raging passionate fire. Gale's stubborn's will push Johanna to take a stand for things and Johanna's sense of humor will make Gale lighten up when it comes to situations.

They'll balance each other out. They're perfect for each other.

Sae will be okay.

She will be great having Rue and Thresh running The Hob with their hands. They're perfect at everything they do. They won't let her down ever. And now Clove can stop complaining to her how I get more hours.

Madge will get through everything how she always has.

She'll continue off and go to NYU and get her Law Degree just as she's planned since we were toddlers running around in the dry grass, telling everyone to be nice to her because on day she'll be the President of The United States.

And my boyfriend, the one other person I'm sure I'll always love.

He'll be okay.

Peeta will be okay.

Peeta will be rocking out soon enough.

According to Gale, the moment Peeta found out about the accident he dropped everything and rushed to our small town of 9,000. Being at my side for anything and everything that I needed. Except for today, except for the day of the funeral. Peeta had a commitment and even though he wanted to stay, he had to keep his word. Peeta's a man of his word.

I told him I'd be fine. Since his band is finally getting signed to a record label and he'll be whisked away to places all around the world.

_How can't they?_

They're goddamn amazing. Peeta's the writer of every single song- as he should be.

The way Peeta interprets words into music, the way his lyrics make you  _feel_. I won't be surprise one day if he gets a Grammy in his name one day.

 _They'll be okay_ , I repeat in my head whispering my goodbyes.  _They'll all be okay._

I grip the steering wheel as I put foot on the gas making my car go a little faster, a little above the speeding limit on the toll way.

My hands turning red and shades of purple as the past two weeks of my life begin to unfold in front of me.

* * *

Everything happened so abrupt that I couldn't tell you if it was real or not real. It was early morning when my eyes woke to a bright white light, my body shuddering in pain feeling stabs across my back, my mouth opening up and cracking from thirst.

The first person I heard and saw was Peeta, his voice so small that it sounded as if I was underwater. When he whispered, "Kat?"

All that escaped my lips was a measly groan.

They didn't tell me right away. No one did. Not until I screamed for Primrose.

That's when I knew it; I felt it in the pit of my stomach, in the base of my heart, that she was gone.

We were hit by a drunk driver on our way home, swerving into a nine foot tree. My parents died on impact, they didn't feel a thing. Their lives were split away the moment the car hit the tree.

My sister was another story.

My sweet sixteen year old sister was still fighting for her life the moment the ambulance showed up. She made it a day after the accident but as she was admitted into the ICU, she didn't make it. Her fragile body was torn too much for her sake. Her life was taken away almost 27 hours after the accident happened.

She followed my parents into the afterlife. She followed them while leaving me behind, all of them leaving me behind. With no one but myself.

I was told I was lucky to be sleeping as we made our two hour ride back to Glenwood Springs from Denver. I was told that since I had no recollection of what was going on my body didn't tense the way Prim's did. My body just swung with the car and was left with ugly scars across my face, bruises across my body, and a screwed-up knee.

Peeta spent every single moment with me. He never went home except for when visiting hours were over to take a long shower. But still came right back to the hospital and waited around in the lobby until he was allowed to see me again.

After four long days of being admitted, I was finally set free on conditions of physical therapy and pills that my body needed for the pain.

I begged Peeta to take me anywhere but home and so he did. He drove me to his house were we spent the next week of the middle of July together every waking moment.

His family welcomed me with open arms and did everything possible to make me feel at home, fattening me up with sweet after sweet.

Mr. Mellark would fill me up with stories on his boys when they were younger.

Thomas would bring me home new books to read because I went through all of them in a span of hours.

Rye would tell me silly jokes and bring home comedies for us to watch.

All of them along with Peeta, encouraging me to watch anything on TV and do anything that I wanted to do.

Even Mrs. Mellark, who isn't my number one fan bit her tongue and appeared kinder the whole week leading up to my family's funeral.

My grandmother planned out the whole funeral, my mother's mom always had a knack at events but whenever she would call I know how hard this was getting. How much she just wished the week was over, how much she wished her only daughter was still here.

What mother would ever want the responsibility of burying their own child?

In the middle of the week, I lost it. I went bat shit and bawled my eyes out.

Peeta was taken a bit aback from the commotion but it's like he also  _expected_  it. It's like he expected me to breakdown. And maybe everyone did because not once did I cry.

I didn't cry when they told me about my sister.

I didn't cry when they told me about my parents.

I didn't cry when the doctors pressed their hands into my hurt back or tried to move my knee.

But in front of Peeta I was finally letting go and feeling everything I suppressed.

Everything came crashing down on me that between choked sobs I let myself remember them.

I finally cried for my mother who's voice I will never hear again, who I will never be able to bicker with whenever we would come down at each other's throats, who would hum off-key while cleaning the dishes, who loved each one of us with every ounce of her heart.

I cried for my father who always lit up the room with his funny jokes and easy nature, who I will never be able to go swimming with or take hike with any longer, who would sing happy birthday on our birthday loud and proud. I cried for the man who showed me how to open up.

I cried for my sister. I cried for my sixteen year old sister who was just beginning life, who had just discovered her first boyfriend, her first teen love. Who will never be able to explore more of the world, or be able to attend prom, or walk across the stage of her graduation, who won't be able to choose a career, or become a person, become someone worth living.

I cried for every single one of them because it wasn't fair. They were the perfect three out of the family. They looked at every single day with a new chance at something. They expressed love and fairness with their persona. They were still supposed to be here.

I cried because it felt like they were robbed.

And of course they were, they were robbed from life.

I cried until sunrise and I cried until noon. I cried until my heart couldn't hold it any longer. All while Peeta hugged me through it all, whispering words of love into my ear.

"Always," he told me. "I'll always love you. I'l always be here for you. I'll always be yours."

_Always._

* * *

It took me a bunch of gas, money, hours, and time.

But after an eighteen hour ride, I had made it to my destination. I grabbed a couple of my lighter bags as I rang a bell outside of the building. My heart pounding as I began to realize how stupid this whole trip was.

_What if he doesn't care? What if-_

My are thoughts interrupted as the bronzed hair man I desperately needed walks in front with a perplexed look on his face.

"Katniss?" Finnick wipes his eyes as if he were dreaming. "What's going on?"

Then his sea-green eyes shift down to see my bags, then he sees my splotchy face, and nothing else needs to be said but I say it anyways.

"Finnick. I need a place to stay."

_There are things that we don't want to happen,_

_But have to accept._

_Things we don't want to know,_

_But have to learn._

_And people we can't live without but have to let go._

**to be continued.**


	2. Finnick Odair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss's new life in Panem City with her best friend Finnick Odair.

Finnick and I used to be neighbors.

We used to roll around in grass along with our friends and chase each other, climb up trees and throw rocks at everything. He used to call me 'sassy pants' or 'girl on fire' because of the way I talked and the way I dashed from place to place.

After his single mother passed away, Finnick's aunt Mags decided to step up and take care of him. Finnick and I were seven when he was taken away from our small town.

Finnick and I promised to be best friends no matter what.

We kept our promise.

As we both started to learn new words and take classes in our schools we would send mail to each other. Then as we received computers in our homes we would e-mail each other.

Then whenever my dad would take trips to hunt we would spend at least half a day in Panem with Finnick. His aunt Mags never minded, she loved seeing her boy happy after everything he went through. As I became older and received my first cell phone, we would talk everyday for hours.

I would share stories on Madge, and tell him about our friends like Johanna, Gale, Thom, Rue, Thresh, and sometimes shared a thing or two of his old school crush Clove.

Then in my sophomore year of high school when Peeta moved to Glenwood Springs, I told Finnick about him.

Finnick teased me all the time, saying how I should 'keep it in my pants,' because of the way I would talk about him. But who could blame me? Our small school didn't get new students often, and never new students like  _him_ , never like a guy like Peeta Mellark.

As time began to progress, I would tell him about our first date, our first kiss, our acts of sexual activities that would make my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

I would tell Finnick  _everything_  like he would tell me everything back.

We continued to be best friends after years of being away from each other.

* * *

A week or two before I arrived, the girl Finnick was falling in love with committed suicide.

She was heavily prescribed and after years of physical and mental abuse, she lost it. She started to go mad. She was always shied from on his campus of U of Panem. It wasn't like no one tried, according to Finnick, it's that she was used to being called things like - crazy, stupid, ugly, 'Mad Girl', that she never really gave anyone the chance.

No one really paid attention to the 'Mad Girl'. No one except for Finnick.

Her name was Annie.

Finnick told me how when Annie was growing up she witnessed her brother murdered at the hand of her father. Who, that night, was drugged out of his mind. And that was when she was "rescued" from Child Service - he says the word rescue loosely, because when people began to notice her pattern of distrust, her pattern of hiding in small places like corners, or behind her door, she was always given back and placed into foster home after foster home.

Finnick told me she was bullied a lot growing up because she never had nice enough clothes, because she never had nice enough hair, because she wasn't pretty enough.

Annie would only tell him these things whenever she was actually herself, whenever she wasn't dazed from pills or just so sad.

And it hurt him to see her so unlike herself when she was.

The years of abuse got to her and she just wanted an out. She wanted to be free from this world. She wanted an escape.

I stumbled upon the letter she wrote once when he was curled on the couch.

"She said she loved me, Katniss." Finnick bawled. "I should have told her when I had the chance. Maybe she would be here right now. Maybe she would have been okay."

All I did was hold, hold him until dusk, hold him until dawn, hold him until the sun began to rise.

Finnick cried and banged his head against my chest as he threatened all the assholes that ever made Annie feel small. And I let him, I didn't give him words of reassurance, I didn't pat his back and tell him everything was going to be okay. Because that's not what Finnick needed or needs, he needed closure, he needed to get his pent up anger out, he needed to grab a vase and shove it against the wall.

He needed to rage and that was okay.

And that's when we became  _each other's_  need.

Because just like me he understood how it was to feel guilty that we were still here.

Finnick who every single person he loved died and left him behind. All left him in the shadow as they escaped to eternity.

All left him like my family left me.

Finnick didn't know about my family's death until I popped up in front of his apartment building, like I didn't know that he lost Annie.

So, Finnick understood.

We didn't walk eggshells around each other. We didn't sympathize or give each other looks of sorry.

He got it.

I got it.

We were in this together – as a team.

I told him everything about that last two weeks of my life like he told me everything about Annie. We shared and talked and did everything together while we lived together. Finnick inherited everything of Mags a while back so the condo was his.

On the fourth day of settling down with Finnick I decided to turn on my phone. I had a million text messages, calls, and voice mails. But they were all ignored.

Until, I sucked up my nerves and decided to call home.

I started with Gale, then Johanna, then Madge, then Rue, then Thresh, then Sae, and they all understood. They all told me to get away for a while, keep my head up high and kick some Everdeen ass in Panem.

Then eventually I called Peeta.

He didn' hesitate from screaming my name into the phone when he heard my voice.

"I thought something horrible happened to you Katniss!" he cried. "Please, never do that ever again!"

I promised.

We talked for a good hour as I apologized numerous times. We made promises on seeing each other over the holidays, over spring break, over the upcoming summer. We promised to write back and forth and to keep each other posted. We promised and said I love you over and over again until it was time to go.

As the summer was fluttering away, we began to get the chilly days of September, where tree along the park began to change colors; red, brown, orange. I wasn't used to not having trees beyond trees around me. It got some getting used to actually living in a big city, living in a two million populated place. But I got used to things.

I started forming routines.

* * *

Finnick and I became routine.

Sometimes we will curl up on a couch together and watch endless marathon of Harry Potter, or any new show arrival on Netflix. Or we will play board games and take goofy pictures when we need a laugh. Or we will play  _Words with Friends_ whenever he's bored at school and I'm bored at work. Or we will take walks together and go on jogs together. And even sometimes we'll like to cook dinner together, or at least try. We are probably the worst cooks in the Panem area. We like to read the same books and we like to give each other songs to listen to.

Most of the times, when the sun goes down and the moon comes up, we will curl up around one another in each other's bed, taking turns on whose room. I'm not Finnick's perfect match; I don't perfectly fit into his side like I wish I could, but he keeps me at ease, he keeps me away from my night terrors.

And I help him too. I help Finnick get out of bed.

Some days, I feel as if I can't get a wink of sleep because everything just feels so horrible and so wrong.

And some days, everything just gets so hard for him that he can't even begin to make sense of anything, he'll stay in the fetal position and work on knots with a rope string.

That's when I'm there dragging him off of bed because I'm the kick in the ass he needs.

As for school, Capitol gave me my first semester off. When they heard the news about my family, they encouraged time off. That I could take a year if I really wanted. But I refused, I promised them and myself that I would get everything together by January.

Finnick smiled and told me that, "Of course you will, Kat. You're strong."

Capitol even found so many more options for scholarship that they turned me to. All I had to do was write a couple 500 hundred word essays on why I needed them, or why I deserved them, and an extra prompt on the website.

When I felt like it, I got around to doing them before their deadline, and I got the money.

The chest pain became lighter, my world didn't feel so blue, and my heart didn't break whenever I saw families eating together any longer. I began to take happiness in small things like a cup of coffee from the Starbucks I started to work at, or bird flying across the ocean blue air. I began to receive my attitude back and it shined whenever my boss Haymitch threw things my way.

My feelings weren't tattered with sadness anymore.

I slowly began to start the physical therapy I was supposed to and my knee slowly but surely began to recover. I made phone calls back to Glenwood Springs on my knee and they transferred everything over to the Panem's Hospital, about eighteen minutes away, where they accepted my dad's medical benefits that I was still able to receive.

I was given therapy for the trauma that I received, going to therapist after therapist - every single one telling me the same thing over and over again. I tried grief counseling with Finnick. We would go together whenever we wanted to. There were different dates and times when we were allowed to go, and when we struck up the mood we went. It was more for Finnick then me. He was at ease talking to others, expressing himself to crowd that didn't really know him. I don't open up as easy, I'll nod or say a word or two. But those people don't know me, and they never will know me. I don't need them judging my life.

After losing everything, I started to become someone again.

Panem made my life feel lighter.

I was able to breathe once more.

I'm not the same person I was before the accident. I never will be, and Finnick won't be either.

But then again who's the same person for the rest of their lives?

 

_When you feel that you have reached the end,_

_And that you cannot go one step further._

_When life seems to be drained of all purpose,_

_What a wonderful opportunity to start all over again,_

_To turn over a new page._

**to be continued.**


	3. It's You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katniss and Peeta bump into each other once again after four long years.

_**4 Years Later – August** _

I crawl out of Finnick's queen size bed. Carefully and slowly, I let my feet fall onto the ground as I peel the comforter off of me. I grab my loose ponytail holder and throw my hair into a messy bun. I'll probably keep it this way when I go off to school. It's my signature 'I don't give a fuck how I look' look.

Classic.

"What would you like for lunch?" Finnick pops his question as I walk into the kitchen; he's munching on his favorite cereal, Frosted Flakes.

The back of my hands run across my eyes as they get used to the lighting, "Are you cooking Mr. Odair?" I arch a single eyebrow.

"Well, I got these from the library," he sets down his spoon while he grabs at his bag. "And, it's also your last semester before you graduate!" he gives me a wide toothy smile. "Ms. Katniss Isabella Everdeen will be a double major by the end of December! So, I wanted to make something nice for you."

Finnick sets two perfectly laminated cookbooks out in front of me:  _Pasta, Pasta, All You Can Eat_  and  _Turn Anything into a Delight_ are staring back at me as I flint my eyes to see Finnick's curious eyes staring at me.

"Pasta?" I ask, pulling the book out in front of me. "I  _am_  feeling carbs today. Why don't you make lasagna?"

Finnick smiles as he skims through the table of content, "Got it," he smiles. "I'll make that right when I get home from class."

Finnick is starting his first year of grad school on Panem, and he's on his way to becoming a child psychologist.

"Thank you. You know you really don't have to cook for me?"

He nods, "But there's a difference between  _not having to_  and  _wanting to_. I want to, Kat," he winks.

I smile, reaching over to the piles of papers he has set up on our island, "Fine, just because I like you. Umm… Where's the newspaper?"

"Oh," Finnick raises his eyebrow. "I don't know."

"Seriously?" I flip through our mail. "We always get it. Did our subscription end?"

"I don't know," Finnick shrugs. "It's probably nothing important anyways."

"What?"

"Probably nothing important in the newspaper," he shrugs once more, shifting away his eyes to meet mine.

Finnick gets a hold of the clicker and turns on the small 20' inch TV we have in the kitchen. He taps his fingers along the side of cereal bowl as he listens to the weather.

_He's hiding something._

"What are you hiding, Odair?"

"What?" he sputters. "Me? Hide something?"

"Finnick."

"It's nothing Katniss," he pauses. "I'd just rather you not see it."

"I'm a big girl," I smile.

"I know but—"

"Finnick," I interrupt. "Please, just show me the newspaper."

Finnick hangs his head in defeat as he jumps off of his stool and walks to one of the drawers. He pulls out the newspaper from the drawer as he slides it across the island. "Don't say I didn't try to avoid this."

My hand reaches out to the paper as I flip it to the front, the headline popping out of the bag in bold ink.

_**Band Raging Fire will be coming to Panem for a big Charity Event!** _

I suddenly can't breathe. My hands grip the newspaper strongly as I re-read the title over and over again.

Raging Fire.

Panem.

Here.

Peeta.

Me.

Peeta.

Me.

Here.

Panem.

_Peeta._

"Kat?" Finnick voice nears my ears; he grasps the newspaper out of my hands and places it onto the island. He pulls me into his arms, our fronts touching, as he strokes my back and places his head into the crock of my neck. "That's why I didn't want you to see it Kat. I don't know where you and Peeta stand anymore. You've been getting so much better. I was afraid of a set back like this."

"I'm okay," I speak against his chest. "It-It just caught me off guard."

"You might not even see him," he assures me, taking the hair-tie out of my hair and letting it fall down in waves behind my shoulders. He starts to run his nimble fingers through my hair as he always does when he's trying to comfort me.

"Do you know why they're coming?"

"No," I feel him shake his head. "I didn't want to know. I wanted to throw away the paper."

"Want to…" I pause. "Do you want to read it with me?"

Finnick pulls away from me slightly as he tucks the newspaper into his armpit pulling me into the living room with him. He plops himself down as he spread his legs and places me in between, my back to his front, and straightens the newspaper in front of us.

"Everything's on page six," he tells me. "You know we could just avoid this whole thing. Panem isn't like Glenwood Springs, we are a two million population city. Chances of seeing him are slim."

"I want to know," I encourage him. "I  _need_ to know."

I need to know why he's coming to  _Panem_  out of all places.

I need to know if there's a chance of catching a glimpse of seeing him while he's here.

I need to know that Peeta Mellark is still Peeta Mellark. Not the Peeta Mellark I see so much on tabloids.

I'm not an idiot. I know the small things. I couldn't be called a stalker for knowing the small things of his life either, when they're plastered on every single magazine you see in the cubbies of grocery stores or on every stand.

" _Peeta Mellark and Glimmer a thing?"_

" _Peeta Mellark spotted with an unknown beauty on the back of his bike!"_

" _Peeta Mellark opens up about family life and growing up!"_

_Bang Raging Fire this. Band Ranging Fire that._

I need to know that it wasn't a mistake to let him go so many years back–when I was incapable of being a girlfriend and when I was falling apart. I need to know that it was the right thing to do when I stopped answering him, and that it was right when I gradually changed my e-mail and my phone number for him to lose contact with me.

Because I don't care if he's dating the ridiculous, pasty, beach blonde haired bimbo. I don't care that he's "spotted" out late and partying almost every day apparently. I don't care that his personality comes off as cocky and so not like him on interviews (that I've guilty watched over youtube).

Finnick's lips let out a slight sigh before his fingers peel at the corners of the newspaper, and in two seconds our eyes land on page six. "Want me to read?"

"Yes please," I mumble, knowing fully aware that I won't be able to.

Finnick coughs slightly before he begins. My eyes following every word he speaks:

_Band Raging Fire is coming to Panem with open arms for a special Charity event. Lead singer Thom Lerkin, born and raised in Panem, and lead guitarist and song writer Peeta Mellark take child disabilities close to their hearts. As a tribute to their small fans they're hosting four concerts over the span of the next two weeks. (See below for further details on tickets.) Every single ticket purchased or item sold at their concert will be donated to Panem's Hospital for an Arts Program at the local hospital…._

Finnick continues to read but I block out the words that flow out of his lip, my eyes land on a medium-sized picture at the bottom right. It's a picture of Peeta; he's leaning slightly against Cato, his eyes are closed and his fingers are plucking at the guitar strings, there's a small smile across his lip, and he looks one hundred percent in peace.

It's a look I haven't seen on any tabloids or in any Raging Fire posters. It's a look that I don't see when he's spotted with his girlfriend.

This look is  _different_ ; it's how he always looked when he played music in front of me or when he use to play his songs in his basement.

It makes me heart swells with warmth because he's doings something he  _loves_  in front of millions.

My heart swells with warmth because he looks _happy._  


I swing out a bottle of water as I step onto the city bus. My class ended earlier than usual on account that it's beyond hot. My professor just wanted to get the hell out of there. I have a feeling it will continue this way until they turn on the air conditioner, which probably won't happen since September is right around the corner.

My phone begins to vibrate as I take a sip of water. I swallow quickly before answering.

"Hello?" I answer, swiping drips of water from my lips.

"Sweetheart?"

"What Haymitch?"

"Cool it sweetheart. It's only one in the afternoon for that attitude."

"Are you going to tell me what you need?"

"Do you think you could cover part of Delly's shift for the next few weeks?" he grouches. "Girly's got some hours she has to get done at Panem's Hospital. I need someone."

"Ahh sure," I sit up, straightening my shirt. "What time?"

"She usually works from five to close," he pauses. "Want to come in around four thirty? She said she'll be able to make it in at seven. Finnick's working today too. So, either you can stay until close or leave when Delly comes in."

"I'll stay until you send me home," I answer.

"Alright."

"I'll see you in three hours."

"Yeah yeah," he replies before hanging up.

 

The aroma of sauce fills my nose as I walk through our front door. I kick off my combat boots and tuck in my socks into them before I make my way to the kitchen. I throw my messenger bag on the island as I observe Finnick dancing along to a song ringing through his iPod. I assume he hasn't heard me walk in, with his ear buds going to full volume, since he hasn't shifted my way since I've walked in.

I tap him on the shoulder as I lean near the stove.

Finnick's lips turn into a wide smile at my appearance; he takes out his ear buds and scoops up a bit of sauce into a wooden spoon placing it before my mouth. "Try it."

My eyes widen as the taste hits my tongue, "Did you make this?"

He nods, "Who else would?"

"But. But you can't cook!"

Finnick bursts into laughter, "Anyone can pick up a cook book, read, and follow directions Kat."

I nod sheepishly as I change the subject, "So, you're working today?"

"Yeah. And apparently so are you?" he questions.

I nod.

"Haymitch said something about Delly and you, and it got confusing so I just said okay and let the old man babble."

"Oh," I laugh. "Basically, Delly needs to finish her training hours at the hospital. So, he needed someone else."

"And he calls you?"

I nod again.

"You must be  _growing_ on him," he laughs.

"Hey!" I protest. "I'm likable."

"I never said you weren't," he smiles. "It's just…. "

"Yeah yeah," I stick my tongue out. "I have as much charm as a slug."

"I didn't say it," he grins.

"But you brought it uppp."

" _Maybe_ ," he laughs. "But I didn't say it."

"If anything he has no charm," I scowl.

"He doesn't have to." Finnick grins. "He's the boss of the place."

 

"You're such a tease Finnick Odair!" I argue, pushing the front door of Starbucks open.

Finnick shrugs as he walks a step behind me, "You were asking for it."

I tilt my head slightly as I scowl at him, "Right."

"Freddie, Bonnie." Haymitch grunts. "Cool it."

Finnick and I both stop in our tracks, look at each other with quizzical faces, and being to laugh at our boss.

"You should probably insult us with characters or people we know, Hay." Finnick jabs.

"Who said anything about that being from a show?" He grunts. "Get to work."

"Alright boss!" Finnick places his hand above his eyebrow in salute form.

"Let's go Finn," I laugh, smacking his back toward the back room.

"Haymitch knows I'm joking," he smiles, pushing the back doors open.

Work's faster than it usually is as it is late August. Working here for nearly four years really sets you in tune on what to expect. Beginning of June we always receive the wide range of people who are back home from out-of-state colleges, teenagers with silly sunglasses and neon colored shirts who want their cold drinks, and always the new faces who have an internships around the corner; it continues that way up until school resumes again _._

 _Now_ , it's back to the faces we see the next nine months of school session.

I'm just about done with cleaning the few dishes we have when Delly pops her head through the swinging doors.

"Hey Katniss," Delly calls behind the door.

"Yes?" I tilt my head to look at her.

"You know how Haymitch says when it's pretty dead to bring them to the table?" she smiles sweetly.

I nod.

"Well it is. But I have to take the trash out and well I don't want to hand drinks after doing that. You know since the incident with Effie. I don't want to have  _dirty hands_."

I groan at the thought at that woman, she's unbelievably annoying, the only person other than Delly that can handle her is Finnick. I run to the back room the moment she crosses through the front door. Effie Trinket comes to Starbucks every single day and buys the same exact thing, a tall skim fat free coffee of I don't know what.

" _I'm watching my figure_ ," she pointed out one afternoon.

I keep betting my money that she has the hots for Haymitch. Every time he's around, she practically eye fucks the hell out of him. But Haymitch's head is too far up his ass to notice, or maybe he does and just doesn't want to give her the time of day...

I snap out of my thoughts as Delly's voice rings through the air.

"Can you give some people their coffee?"

"Don't worry Delly," I smile. "I got it."

"I don't think you'll mind anyways," she grins. "These boys are  _so_  attractive. I almost forgot how to make the drinks by looking at them,' she laughs, smacking her forehead with the palm of her head.

I shake my head as I place the green smock on," I'll have to be the judge of that."

I push the doors open while Delly instructs me that they're on the closest counter. I nod toward her as I swoop the green tray into my hands. I move from the counter and notice it is pretty dead right now. Then again, it's an hour until we close. By eleven, I'll be cozy warm in my bed or Finnick's, depending who needs the comfort tonight.

I put the nicest smile I possibly can while I try to ignore the rowdy voices I hear as I get closer. I glance up to see five guys causally dressed huddled around one of our round tables, some are sitting on their seats backwards and other are leaning all the way back on them with one foot crossed over the other.

My heart skips a beat the moment my ears hear a booming laughter fill the air around me. A laugh I would never be able to forget-one I can recognize from anywhere.

My heart tightens in my chest as I move closer and closer.

_Come on, Katniss. Keep moving._

I take a deep breath as I cough slightly, gaining most of their attention as they look up with curious eyes and smiles.

I notice crystal blue eyes shift from a phone before glancing back down once more.

Then, Peeta's body freezes as he does a double take on my appearance. "Kat?"

I blink.

"Katniss Everdeen?" Cato hollers. "Wow, I haven't seen your pretty little face since we were seniors!"

I bite the inside of my mouth as I place the tray in front of them.

I begin to recite the orders as each one of them raises their hand to indicate which one is theirs.

I don't even read out Peeta's order, I just place it in front of him.

_Soy French Vanilla Latte._

It's been the same for years.

"Here you go," I smile uneasy. "If you need anything else, Delly will be happy to assist you when she comes back."

I back away slowly before I hear the mutter of my name one more time from someone's lips. I ignore it completely, running to the employee bathroom as I shut the door. My back hits the wall as I slide down a bit at a time. My head goes into my knees as I curl into a small ball.

He's still beautiful… like he's always been.

 

_You can love someone so much..._

_But you can never love people as much as you can miss them._

 

**to be continued.**


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